Weatherproof tank closure



0a. 1, 1935. R. B. BUKOLT 2,016,224

WEATHERPROOF TNK cLosURE Filed Aug. l, 1934 anar/Mag@ Patented Oct. 1,1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WEATHERPROOF TANK CLOSURE Roman B.Bukolt, Stevens Point, Wis.

Application August 1, 1934, Serial No. 737,988 'z claims. (o1. zzo- 55)The invention relates to a novel weather-proof closure for various kindsof containers but particularly adapted as a tank closure for use on tankcars and trucks, storage tanks and the like which are exposed to theelements of weather subjecting them to corrosion.

The closure is of the general type disclosed in my pending U. S.application Serial No. 719,961, filed April 10, 1934, in which alever-and-toggle- 1o action snap disk is sprung inwardly to hold theclosure sealed and is sprung outwardly to release the closure. Theprincipal object of the invention is to provide an improved means forprotecting the snap disk and any parts associated in with it, said meansincluding a weather excluding cap which provides a fulcrum for the snapdisk, the cap being detachably connected with the container but beingheld against detachment therefrom until the snap disk is re- $0 leased.

A further object is to provide novel operating means for the snap diskhaving an actuating portion accessible at the exterior of the cap.

Yet another aim is to make novel provision for holding the snap diskactuator against unauthorized release.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, descrip- 3i)tion being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing one form of construction,the snap disk being in and positively held in its operative position.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view on line 2-.2

of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a different form ofconstruction. f

Preferred structure has been illustrated and will be rather specificallydescribed, with the understanding however that Within the scope of theinvention as claimed, variations may be made.

First, see Figs. 1 and 2.

The container or tank 5 is provided with an outwardly projecting neck 6welded or otherwise secured thereto, the outer end of said neckconstituting a sealing ring seat- 1. This neck is provided withcircumferentially spaced laterally projecting lugs 8 which interlockwith similar lugs 9 on the side wall or flange II) of a heavy metal capII, so that when the cap is-sufiiciently turned to allow the lugs 9 topass between the lugs 8, said cap may be removed from the neck. In thepresent showing, the cap is provided with a central upstanding boss I2having anopening I3 for a purpose to appear.

Carried within the cap Il, are a sealing ring I4, a metal closure I5lying upon said sealing ring, and a substantially concave-convex, lever-5 and-toggle-action snap disk,I6. The closure I5 is somewhat cupped asshown and said closure is provided near its peripheral edge with apivoting ridge I'I upon which the disk I5 rests. At its peripheral edge,this disk bears against a 1o continuous shoulder I8 in the cap I I, saidshoulder constituting a fulcrum for said disk when it is snappedinwardly to the operative position shown in Fig. l.

When the cap I I and the parts therein are ap- 15 plied to the neck 6,the disk I6 is in an outwardly snapped position near the top of said capII and is thus rather loosely engaged with the fulcrum shoulder I8, andthe rim portion of the closure I5, and the latter bears only lightly 20against the sealing ring I4. Thus, the cap may be easily applied andturned to interlock its lugs 9 with the lugs 8 of the neck 6. A suitablestop I9 may be provided to limit the extent of turning. Afterapplication of the cap and parts 2;, therein as described, the snap diskI6 is sprung inwardly to the position shown in Fig. l. This disk thusrocks against the fulcrum shoulder I8 and presses inwardly on thepivoting ridge il, exerting a powerful inward force to hold the seal- 3cing ring I4 seated upon the seat I, said sealing ring being alsocompressed by the inward snapping of the disk to establish a iiuid-tightseal.

A novel actuator 20 is provided for snapping the disk I6 inwardly tooperative position or 35 outwardly to released position. When disk I6 isin its operative position, it exerts such outward pressure on the cap IIthat the lugs 8 and 9 are held in such tight frictional engagement witheach other that the cap cannot be removed un- 4o til the disk isreleased. When disk I6 is cutwardly snapped to released position, thefriction is relieved and the cap may be easily removed.

The actuator 20 includes a sleeve 2i passing 45 rotatably through theopening I3 of the cap boss I2, the inner end of said sleeve being passedalso through an`opening 22 in the snap disk IB. 'Ihis sleeve is providedwith outer and inner shoulders 23 and 24 respectively, which aredisposed 50 at the outer and inner sides of the snap disk I6, saidshoulders being spaced apart a distance which is considerably greaterthan the thickness of said disk, allowing the snap action of the latterwithout causing it to jerk the entire actuator 20. A threaded stud 25 issuitably secured at 26 to the center of' the closure I6, so that itcannot rotate, and said stud is threaded in the sleeve 2|.

A turning bar 21 is suitably connected at 28 with the outer end of thesleeve 2| and is normally connected by a suitable seal S to a lug 29 onthe cap` so that the actuator 20 cannot be operated undetectedly byunauthorized persons. When the seal is removed or broken and the turningbar 2 is used to rotate the sleeve 2| in the proper direction, thissleeve threads upwardly upon the stud 25, thus moving the disk I6 to andslightly past a dead center position. Then the disk quickly snapsupwardly to released position. By rotating thevsleeve 2| in the oppositedirection, said sleeve threads downwardly on the stud 25 to move thesnap disk I6 to and slightly past dead center so that said disk thenquickly snaps to its lowered operative position. When this snap actiontakes place, the disk IB of course moves downwardly from the upperthrust shoulder 23 and the closure may be left in this condition ifdesired, so that there is the possibility of any excessive pressurewithin the container snapping the disk to released position and thusventing said container. However, if desired, after disk I6 has snappeddownwardly to operativeposition, the sleeve 2| may be further rotated tobring the shoulder 23 into contact with said disk, thereby locking thelatter in operative position.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, preferably used on containers whichcarry less internal pressure, the cap I I:L is practically identicalwith the cap and it is connected detachably by lugs 8' and 9a with thetank neck Se. In this construction, the snap disk I6a rests directlyupon the sealing ring I4a and engages the fulcrum shoulder IBB. The diskactuating device 2|)a includes a sleeve 2|a passing rotatably through acentral opening |3"L in a boss I2 on the cover Ila, said sleeve havingouter and inner shoulders 23a and 24B to limit its endwise movement withrespect to said cover. Threaded into the sleeve 2|a is a stud 2liILwhich is centrally secured to the snap disk |63.

In the present showing, the inner end of the stud 25EL is provided witha shoulder 30 and with a reduced threaded portion 3| projecting inwardlybeyond said shoulder. This portion 3| passes through a central opening32 in the disk I6a and is provided with a convex nut 33 contacting withthe lower side of said disk. A resilient gasket 34 is interposed betweenthe upper side of the disk IGP- and the shoulder 30. This resilientgasket and the shape of the nut 33 allow the necessary changes in shapeat the center of the disk when it is snapped inwardly or outwardly. Akey 35 on disk I6, ts into a groove 36 in the reduced stud portion 3| tohold stud 25a against rotation.

When disk ||a `is in operative position, the container is tightlysealedand the cap ||a is held against removal. When disk. I6a is snappedto released position, however, what pressure may exist in the containeris vented and the cap ||1 may be easily removed with the disk I6,sealing ring Ila and actuating device 20".

It will be seen from theAforegoing that both forms of construction aresimple and inexpensive, yet that they will form eiective tank closureswhich are well protected against weather conditions. While preferredstructures have been shown, attention is again invited to thepossibility of making variations within the scope of `/the invention asclaimed.,V and obviously any appropriate materials maybe employed.

1. A container having an outwardly facing 5 sealing ring seat, a.sealing ring engaging said seat, a snap disk for exerting an inwardforce to seat said sealing ring, a cap enclosing said sealing ring andsaid snap disk and providing a fulcrum for the latter, means detachablycon- 10 necting said cap with the container, and an actuating devce forsnapping said snap disk to active and released positions, said actuatingdevice being operatively connected with said cap and disk and having anactuating portion accessible at 15 the exterior of said cap.

2. A container having an outwardly projecting neck provided with laterallugs, a sealing ring engaging the outer end of said neck, a snap diskfor exerting an inward force to seat said 20 sealing ring, a capenclosing said neck, sealing ring and snap disk and providing a fulcrumfor the latter, said cap having lugs engaged with those of said neck anddisengageable therefrom upon turning said cap, and an actuating device25 for snapping said snap disk to active and released positions, saidactuating device being operatively connected with said cap and disk andhaving an actuating portion accessible at the exterior of said cap. l

3. A container having a neck whose upper end constitutes a sealing ringseat, said neck being provided with outwardly projectingcircumferentially spaced lugs, a centrally apertured cap having a topplate and a downwardly projecting continuous side wall, said top platebeing upwardly spaced from said sealing ring seat and having adownwardly facing annular fulcrum surface over said seat, said side wallbeing provided with lugs abutting the lower sides of the 40 lugs of saidneck and spaced to pass between` these lugs when the cap is suflicientlyturned,

a sealing ring resting on the aforesaid sealing ring seat, a closuredisk resting on said sealing ring and having a, continuous pivotingridge 45 spaced inwardly from its edge, a lever-andtoggle-action snapdisk resting on said pivoting ridge and abutting said downwardly facingfulcrum surface on a line spaced outwardly from and concentric with saidridge, whereby down- 50 ward snapping of said snap disk will exert anupward pressure on said cap to hold said lugs in such contact as toprevent turning of said cover to released position, and will exert adownward pressure on said closure disk and 55 sealing ring to compressthe latter against its seat, and an actuator for said snap diskconnected with this disk and passing through the central aperture ofsaid cap.

4. A container having a neck whose upper end 00 constitutes a sealingring seat, said neck being provided with outwardly projectingcircumferentially spaced lugs, a centrally apertured cap having a topplate and a downwardly projecting continuous side wall, said top platebeing 55 upwardly spaced from said sealing ring seat and having adownwardly facing annular fulcrum surface over said seat, said side wallbeing provided with lugs abutting the lower sides of the lugs of saidneck and spaced to pass between 10 these lugs when the cap issufiiciently turned,

a sealing ring resting on the aforesaid sealing ring seat, alever-and-toggle-action snap disk resting on said sealing ring andbearing against said downwardly facing fulcrum surface, where- 75 bydownward snapping of said snap disk will exert an upward pressure onsaid cap to hold said lugs in such contact as to prevent turning oi'said cap to released position, and will exert a downwardiorce on saidsealing ring to compress said ring upon its seat, and an actuator forsaid snap disk connected with this-disk and passing through the centralaperture of said cap.

In a container having closing means including a resilient snap memberand a rigid member stationary with respect to said snap member;relatively tlxed and rotatable actuating elements ior said snap member,said elements being threaded together and being operatively connectedwith the aforesaid members respectively, said rotatable actuatingelement being accessible for rotation whereby such rotation may beutilired to move said snap member slightly past a neutral positionallowing it to complete its movement by snap action, the operativeconnection between one ot said members and the actuating elementconnected therewith being constructed to allow relative sliding of saidone member and the element connected therewith when the snap action ofsaid snap member occurs.

6. In a container having closing means including a detachable coverhaving a central cover having a central opening. and a closure at theinner side of the snap disk to be held against the container by meanso1' said snap disk; a rotatable sleeve passing through said openings andhaving shoulders at opposite sides of said snap disk, said shouldersbeing spaced n apart a distance greater than the thickness of said snapdisk, and a stud secured to said closure and threaded into said sleeve,whereby said snap disk may be moved slightly past a. neutral position byrotating said sleeve and the spacing of said shoulders then allows thedisk to snap beyond the position to which it has been moved withoutjerking said sleeve.

'7. In a container having closing means in' cluding a detachable coverhaving a central opening, and a snap disk at the inner side of saidcover; a sleeve passing rotatably through said opening and havingshoulders at the inner and outer sides of said cover, said shoulders 20ROMAN B. BUKOL'I". ,o

